Poll: Support up for Maori-National deal

According to a Marae-DigiPoll survey, Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia ranks second among popular Maori MPs. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The first Marae-DigiPoll survey since the election has shown a spike in Maori support for both the Maori Party and National - and a strong endorsement of the support arrangement between the two parties.

In the poll of 1002 Maori on both the general and Maori rolls, 68 per cent of Maori Party supporters said they agreed with the party's decision to form a government with National.

National Party supporters were almost unanimous - 96 per cent supported it.

In the party vote, the Maori Party got the most support at 48 per cent - well up on the 38 per cent it got last March and pulling far ahead of Labour at 25 per cent, well down on the 35 to 40 per cent support it was getting in the poll last year.

National's levels of support improved, climbing from 15 per cent in March last year to 20 per cent.

John Key's popularity was stronger - 30 per cent chose him as the preferred Prime Minister and 55 per cent said they were satisfied with his performance.

Speaking on Marae, Mr Key said he was pleased with the vote of confidence. It showed Maori voters believed the partnership was delivering what they expected.

And he said although the Maori Party had received some blows in the decision on the Auckland Super Council seats, some strong victories were expected in the year ahead as the Government began to implement the party's "whanau ora" policies devolving social services funding directly to iwi.

The final outcome on replacing the Foreshore and Seabed Act, which is likely to be repealed, would also be a victory.

Mr Key was well ahead of the second most preferred choice - former Prime Minister Helen Clark on 11 per cent.

Labour leader Phil Goff got just 4.4 per cent - behind the Maori Party co-leaders Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia on 9 per cent and 6 per cent respectively.

Dr Sharples was the most popular Maori MP. He was chosen by 33 per cent as the most favoured of the 16 Maori MPs in Parliament and a similar percentage said he was the most effective at representing their views.

Mrs Turia took second place with 16 per cent and Hone Harawira was in third, with 6.4 per cent.